Mage Academy

The Old Shopkeeper

I've been to Moonbeam before.

But only to visit my grandparents who live in Yolanda, which is a small village in the Northern realm. Still magical and beautiful, but nothing compared to this.

Rainbow is the most magnificent place I have ever been to; it goes beyond anything I could ever imagine.

What makes it so captivating is that it defies you-- you think that you are looking at a huge city that is a thousand years old, so ancient yet so modern, with buildings that look as natural in this age as a skyscraper. It's like being lost in time. And some of the buildings here ARE a thousand years old-- some older. But the city doesn't look like what a thousand year old city would look like on Earth-- it looks just as grand as anything, and reminds me of a land plucked out of a fairy tale.

One second you are gazing at a twelve-storey medieval cottage covered in red and yellow roses, and the next you are seeing a magician Air herself from the cobblestone street up, up, up and through a wide-open window on the top floor.

There aren't only Elemental Magicians here. There are Fairies, Elves, Wizards, Nymphs, Pixies... flying and walking and using spells, charms and energy to do their normal day-to-day business. My eyes grow tired looking at it all.

"Isn't it AMAZING?!" Lydia says excitedly to me, brushing a strand of light brown hair away from her glasses. "I've only come here twice before-- it's far away from where I live in the Western realm. The Eastern realm is just so much more exciting."

Mr Croft guides us down another street, this one bigger and more bustling than the last. When we landed here it was in the middle of a fruit market-- we collided with a pile of Coconapples.

"I love it here..." I gush, watching two wizards in their signature cloaks and pointy hats (so cliché) waving their wands at a cart full of beautiful leather bound books, casting spells to guide it along the street. "It's full of books!" I say excitedly.

"You know how wizards are with their books. They always have one on them, to look as pretentious as they can. Who knows if they actually read all of the ones they carry around with them. I once visited a wizards house and couldn't walk due to it being littered with books, most of them looking like they hadn't  been opened." Lydia says in her unique way of eyebrow raising and slight head shaking, like she is sharing the most juicy information.

I watch the wizards for a few more seconds; noticing that they're both wearing glasses--("they have simple spells which make their vision perfect", Lydia adds with more head shaking)-- "You know who they remind me of?" I say with a small chuckle. Lydia looks at me.

"Wizards are just magical hipsters!" I joke.

Lydia looks confused, but Oliver overheard what I said and laughs out loud. "True!"

"Is that a human thing?"

I nod. I'm about to explain when something catches my eye-- something bright orange. I swivel around and see a roadside stand packed to bursting with glimmering jewels and treasure. When I go closer I see what it was that shone at me: a silver ring with an amber Jewel embedded in it, sparkling like the sun.

The other treasure in the stand blurs out of my vision; all I can see is the ring, sitting in a small box lined in red velvet.

"That's pretty." Lydia says absentmindedly; strolling off along with the Group. Guy stops next to me, looking down at the ring. The sun hits the amber (I'm now certain that this isn't regular amber) and his blue eyes reflect the Jewel, turning them a thousand shades of gold.

"That's one special ring." He says.

"You think?"

"My parents collect jewels all over Moonbeam, and I haven't seen anything like that before."

Lauren takes a glance as she passes by, and rolls her eyes. "I'm sure it's just a cheap knock-off; it's probably plastic. You can't trust anything sold on the streets." She huffs, right in front of the smiling shopkeeper, who doesn't look fazed at all by her snobbish remark.

"You are wrong there young lady-- this ring is one of a kind." He says, his green eyes shining.

"Of course you would say that," Lauren lifts an elegant eyebrow. "You just want to sell it."

"I came across this ring by destiny. It has been on this stand for seventeen years, waiting for the right owner. I refuse to sell it to anyone who isn't destined to own it." The old man has a very wrinkled face, long white hair woven with vines as the pixies like to wear, and the brightest eyes I have ever seen. I know in my heart that what he is saying is the truth. He reminds me of my grandfather.

"How do you know when someone is meant to have it?" I ask.

"Oh, a certain gleam in their eye. A certain soul." The old shopkeeper smiles. "This ring is made only for one-- I don't know what power it holds but I know, somehow, that it helps guide whoever wears it." The shopkeeper takes a deep breath and seems to be remembering a moment in his past, his green eyes going misty. "I was walking along an beaten path in a wood, seventeen years ago. A cloaked figure appeared from behind a tree, and held out a gloved hand with the ring. I refused to take it; it seemed too precious, but in the next moment the ring was in my hands, and the cloaked figure had disappeared. I have been waiting for the right soul to reclaim it ever since." The old mans eyes sparkle as bright as ever as they turn to mine. He picks up the ring with one hand, and lifts my right hand with the other. My heart lifts as the golden ring slides onto my fourth finger.

"This ring is yours. It shines as bright as your soul."

"I'm so sorry," I garble, "I have no money." I say sorrowfully, gazing down at the jewel. Lauren chuckles from behind me.

"Life would be a sad thing if we let it be governed by money," the shopkeeper giggles. "Take the ring young Fire spirit, it is yours. Let it guide you."